While using truly Free software allows totally unrestrained
joy when passing on tips and tricks to others, there's still
some happiness to be gained when the software is proprietary
but the recipients of the tip are people with whom you work.
Here in the Real World[TM] I have to deal with (non
computer) hardware manufacturers who sell overpriced
computers running horrible equipment control software and
who refuse to give you the "administrator" password,
presumably because they believe you'd immediately copy the
kludgey software to a more affordable box. Argh! Mercifully
there's also equipment specific software written by Real
Programmers and they've embedded macro languages that allow
you to express yourself and get the job done. Thank you, Oh
Sensible Ones! Today I managed to use such a a TIMTOWTDI
rich macro language in a strange way and it was clearly The
Right Way. It was so beautiful. My co-workers immediately
appreciated the
extra stability and efficiency, if not the beauty of the
code. That was reward enough.